Urinary incontinence is the involuntary or uncontrollable loss of urine, and it is a common and difficult problem for aging adults. It is a problem that affects up to 30% of older persons living outside of hospitals or nursing homes, and is particularly common among elderly women. For those in nursing homes or other long term care facilities, the percentages are even greater. Incontinence can range from minor, occasional dribbling, to occasional unwanted loss of bladder control, to the complete inability to hold one's urine.
Despite its high prevalence, however, urinary incontinence is not a "normal" part of aging. Incontinence represents a failure of the physical and mental processes that allow a person to hold their urine and to empty their bladder at an appropriate time.
The main components of the urinary system include the kidneys, which continuously produce urine; the bladder, a muscular sac which both holds the urine and contracts to expel urine when it is full; the urethra, a thin tube which drains the bladder to the outside; and the urinary sphincters, small muscles around the urethra that contract to block the passage of urine. Disruption on virtually any level of the urinary system can lead to incontinence.
The brain and nervous system also play an important role in maintaining continence. The muscles of the bladder contract reflexively when the bladder is full. With "potty training" in childhood, the brain learns how to override this automatic impulse, allowing a person to hold their urine until the appropriate time.
Acknowledging the Problem
